#Confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers

[suetravelblog]

Museum of Contemporary Art Belgrade Serbia

[emaadsidiki]

Port of Belgrade at Sunset 🌆

[captain-price-unofficially]

River monitor Sava (former SMS Bodrog), the ship that opened WWI by firing first shells on the Belgrade, She's been restored last year and is now a museum ship located close to the confluence of the Sava and Danube

[furordinaricvs]

"Belgrad oder Griechisch Weissenburg"

Belgrade or Greek White City, copperplate engraving made by Gabriel Boedener in Augsburg in 1730. Author is Gabriel Boedener the Younger (1705-1792) son of Gabriel Boedener the Elder (1673-1758). After inheriting his fathers workshop and skill he quickly became one of most esteemed engravers of his time eclipsing the works of his ancestors. First engraver was Johann Georg Boedener (1631-1704) who started seven generation long tradition.

This specific engraving is from Gabriel's most famous work "Europens Pracht und Macht", a series of engravings depicting city views, plans, fortresses and castles in Europe. Many plates often show fortifications in Hungary and southeast Europe, Spain, Belgium, Austria and Germany. This particular engraving and his work "Europens Pracht und Macht" were considered very unorthodox for that time and their format. Half a century later this format became popular.

Belgrade was known by many names through history, one of the names that remained in use the longest was "Alba Graeca", Latin for "Greek Dawn". In German, name retained Greek denomination since Germans referred to Serbian as Illyrian until beginning of XVIII century. In Serbian language name of city is Beograd/Београд which means "White City". This veduta of the city shows flow of the Danube and confluence of the river Sava as well as view of the city from the north with most important landmarks being shown.

[eurovision-facts]

Eurovision Fact #217:

With a few exceptions, the Eurovision Song Contest has had individualized slogans for each competition since 2002. Most of the time, the slogans are a message of unity and inclusion:

Starting in 2002, the slogan was “A Modern Fairytale,” which supposedly “encapsulated Estonia's recent history.”

2003′s slogan was “Rendezvous in Riga,” which reflected the host location of Riga, Latvia. The following year, Türkiye’s slogan was “Under The Same Sky,” which was simply a message of unity.

Ukraine announced that their slogan for 2005 would be “Awakening,” which -- much like that of 2002 -- would reflect the state of their nation and current political changes occurring as a result of the Orange Revolution and various other events.

2006′s slogan was “Feel The Rhythm,” and 2007′s was “True Fantasy.” The following year, the slogan was “Confluence of Sound,” which represented the music of Eurovision and the geography of Belgrade: “... on the confluence of two rivers; the Sava and the Danube.”

The 2009 contest did not have its own slogan, but it did have its own artwork. But when Norway brought home the trophy, they also brought back the slogans. In 2010, the theme was “Share The Moment,” which, again, was a message of unity.

2011′s slogan was “Feel Your Heart Beat,” and 2012′s was “Light Your Fire,” which was a play on the fact that Azerbaijan is known as “The Land of Fire.”

2013 brought back the theme of equality and unification with “We Are One,” and 2014 hinted at this as well with the “modern” slogan “#JoinUs,” which was an invitation to the audience and a reflection of social media integration into the contest. 2015 continued with this popular theme with the slogan “Building Bridges,” which “... promoted music as a force for unity, where political differences between countries are set aside.” 2016′s slogan “Come Together,” also fell into this vein, and was said to symbolize “...the power of resistance and resilience but also of regeneration.” Continuing to 2017, the slogan that Ukraine created was “ Celebrate Diversity.”

2018′s slogan “All Aboard!” was inspired by the fact that Portugal connects “... Europe to the rest of the world through the ocean, and 500 years ago Lisbon was the centre of many of the world’s most important sea routes.”

In 2019, the slogan was “Dare to Dream,” which was a nod to every participant who dreamed and had the courage to get to the Eurovision stage.

The cancelled 2020 contest’s slogan was “Open Up.” It was explained as being “intentionally incomplete: Open up to each other. Open up to music. Open up to Rotterdam. Open up to... whatever you choose!” This slogan would be aptly recycled for the 2021 contest when the world was finally “Opening Up” again.

Finally, the slogan for the most recent contest in 2022 was “The Sound of Beauty.” This was all about the visual representation of sound, and there was more of a focus upon the visual theming than the slogan itself.

  [Sources]

'What's in a name? Eurovision slogans through the years,' Eurovision.tv.

Eurovision Fact #170.

'All Aboard! Lisbon welcomes 42 countries to Eurovision 2018,' Eurovision.tv.

'Tel Aviv 2019: Dare to Dream,' Eurovision.tv.

'Slogan revealed: ‘Open Up’ to Eurovision 2020,' Eurovision.tv.

'This is the new logo of Eurovision 2021,' Eurovision.tv.

‘Theme Art: 'The Sound of Beauty' explained 🇮🇹,’ Eurovision.tv.

[rasmasandra]

Traveling in Europe Serbia

Belgrade Serbia The beautiful capital of the southeastern European country of Serbia The name Belgrade translates to White City. It is the capital and largest city of Serbia located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers at the place where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkan Mountains. It is interesting that Belgrade has gotten a reputation of being one of Europe’s foremost party…

[balapann-blog]

Day 9 - 14 September - Belgrade

We got up and went to the train station to book our sleeper train to Montenegro on Sunday night, however lots of the streets were closed by the police and there were armoured vehicles and police dogs around which was slightly intimidating. We did manage to get to the station and then book the train, (we initially thought we had got a private cabin but the lady had booked us on the Saturday train and there were only couchettes for Sunday, however this will hopefully be better than the night bus or sleeping on across 3 seats like our last night train).

We then went and spent the most opulent £16.90 I’ve ever spent at breakfast at this bib gourmand restaurant. It was a modern take on Balkan food and I had this polenta portage with blue cheese and mushrooms and Nin had cold oatmeal with every nice fruit under the sun on it. Considering we had that and 4 coffees, I couldn’t believe the price!

The breakfast was quite heavy so we went home to chill for a bit and then went on another excellent free walking tour. The guide was a very dry woman (i think called Ivana) who spoke through lots of different things, such as the three main architectural styles of Belgrade; Habsburg (very much friends of the blog at this point), brutalist, modern (she really did not like the modern stuff). We walked down the street our apartment is on, and then into the more hipster part of town that during the time when organised crime most ran the country in the early 00s was called silicone valley because of the breast implants of the mob wives who went to the clubs there. This is also where the oldest families in Belgrade live in, as there are very few people whose families have lived continuously in Belgrade for generations (apparently the city empties on orthodox holidays as everyone goes back to their village or town).

Although Belgrade was very Ottoman for hundreds of years, almost nothing of this architecture remains bar a couple of houses. She spoke through the Serbo/Croat language and the fact that it has two scripts (Cyrillic and Latin) because when Serbia and the rest of Yugoslavia merged Serbia used Cyrillic and Slovenia/Croatia used Latin and since the languages are the same, both scripts are usable.

We went to Belgrade castle which is absolutely massive and has an amazing view down onto the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. The tour finished in the orthodox cathedral where there was a wedding on. Serbian weddings seem to be soundtracked by gypsy brass bands who seranade the bride as she enters the church. It was fun and very over the top.

Our tour guide was interesting, on one hand, she was very liberal in her views and spoke a lot about government corruption and hoping all the things from the Yugoslav wars were behind the region. On the other hand she was very clearly Serbian in of her outlook, she crossed herself going into the cathedral, she preferred the Cyrillic script to the Latin, and was very proud of her Serbianness (if thats a word). Her explanation of the place of rakija in Serb culture was really interesting and heartfelt. I think that sometimes there is an assumption people in the east of Europe want to be like people in the west of Europe, but that that view I think is lazy and quite condescending (even if we can all stray into it) and that there are loads of ways to be a good person and be a good society. And nice liberal people from metropole cities in Western Europe don’t have a monopoly on a good life and we have lots of faults and blind spots that we don’t often interrogate.

After the tour we went to a grill called GrillRepublik which had 4.9 stars on google (‘unheard of’ Nina Jones) they were playing the Liverpool game which was nice I hadn’t watched any football since the season started. The food was so good we both had burgers with kajmak on it which is a Balkan cream thing that is half way between butter and clotted cream. It was delicious but I think dangerous to have on meat like that. My burger came with cabbage and I got a shopska salad, Nin had onions and a slightly different salad. The bread we had was also very fresh and airy. This was supposed to be a little snack so we got the small burger, but it was so big we could just about finish it!

After food, we went home and chilled out for a bit and then went to this fun bar for a couple of drinks (it was Saturday night after all), however we were both quite tired and so we left and went for a little walk and then went back to our apartment, I published my blog from Sarajevo and we did some planning and got a relatively early night.

What we ate - Iva New Balkan Cuisine, GrillRepublik

What we liked - My polenta thing got quite heavy after a while so i think the grill was the best thing of the day.

Day 10 - 15 September - Belgrade > Bar

We were planning to go for a run before we checked out but it was absolutely lashing when we work up so we just had a coffee in the flat and packed. When we left we went to do laundry in a laundrette, which was needed as we hadn’t done any washing since Zagreb! There were lots of tourists there trying to wash (or dry) their stuff. Walking there had been a bit of a mission and I am very thankful for the waterproof cover for my bag!

We then went and stored our stuff in a luggage storage and looked for place for lunch, we found this very classic boogie coffee shop/brunch place. I had this french omelette with mushrooms which was amazing, I think I said it was one of the best omelettes id ever had, not sure if that was hyperbole or not but it was good! It was probably one of the most expensive meals we had had since Slovenia (about £33) but the space was very nice and the food was good!

After that we failed at getting a bus to the Museum of Yugoslavia, so in the end got a taxi. It is quite a random museum, and mainly houses The Big Man’s (Tito’s) mausoleum and then a museum bit that seems only there to house the presents that he got from other world leaders, among some other things about the formation of Yugoslavia. The most numerous thing in the museum was relay batons from Youth Day celebrations over the years, my main thought was that I just want someone to love me like Tito loves relay batons.

After the museum, we walked to St. Sava’s temple which is the second biggest Orthodox Church in the world. It was pretty amazing and I think had been restored quite recently and was latterly shining gold. The pictures I took do not do it justice. They were also piping in some sick plainchant music which added to the atmosphere.

We then walked back into town (the other two places had been a bit out of town) via a Boots/Superdrug type shop, which in the rain and after being in lots of cites that id never been to before felt strangely comforting (something about the lighting and familiarity), even though we didn’t get anything. We went to the National Museum of Serbia, which is mainly an art gallery with some early artefacts on the second floor. The art was pretty good, would have liked a bit more socialist realism, but there was some great stuff there (it was free and in the main square too!)

We then went to a Vietnamese (Asian fusion really) that was in the bib gourmand but was really just fine, I think in London we are spoiled it’s Pho Mile. We then got our bags and got a taxi to the station. The driver said he hoped Putin sent nuclear bombs on the UK as he showed us a building that had been destroyed in nato bombing (good thing I said we were Irish).

I enjoyed Belgrade much more than I expected to, particularly after being in Sarajevo and Republika Srpska, and reading and hearing about how the Serb Government is acting and its close relationship to Russia. I guess it is true that most people are generally friendly and welcoming and that politics generally sits above individual interactions with people. It also feels like Belgrade is pretty liberal (particularly the places we went), and I doubt the rest of the country is quite like that. Our taxi driver slightly shattered that assumption, but looking at his age, he could well have been in the Yugoslav army at the time of the wars, and what would an experience like that do to someone. It takes lots of courage and self reflection to go against the view of an institution you are part of, particularly if you hear of atrocities committed by the other side (real or not), and NATO are bombing your country. The graffiti below is from the main square in Belgrade, written in English with stencils of Radovan Karadžić beside it, even with all the perceived liberalism in Belgrade, this politics is impossible to ignore.

We were very early for our train and when it came we were both top bunks in a couchette. We have definitely got our night travel better and a night train is definitely preferable to night bus. The guy in the bunk below me snored quite a lot and my noise cancelling headphones ran out of battery at about 1am! I think I slept a bit and am definitely not as tired as after the bus. At about 8am I woke up and went to look out the window, the train we were on is famously very beautiful and it was a very nice view to wake up to, first the mountains then Skroder lake! We are now in a coffee shop in Bar waiting for our check in at 2 to our hotel down the coast. The weather is much nicer here so let’s hope it stays that way!

What we ate - June cafe, Istok

What we liked - June was nice, Istok i would say is overrated but wasn’t bad.

[roomchailimited]

Discovering the Balkans: A Journey Through Southeast Europe

Southeast Europe, often referred to as the Balkans, is a region rich in history, culture, and breathtaking landscapes. For Bangladeshi travelers, exploring the Balkans offers a unique opportunity to delve into diverse traditions, picturesque towns, and stunning natural beauty. This journey will take you through some of the most captivating destinations in the Balkans, revealing the charm and complexity of this fascinating region.

The Journey Begins: From Dhaka to Belgrade

Your Balkan adventure starts with a flight from Dhaka to Belgrade, the vibrant capital of Serbia. With convenient layovers in major international hubs like Istanbul or Dubai, reaching Belgrade is straightforward. Upon arrival, you'll be welcomed by the city's dynamic blend of old-world charm and modern energy. Stroll through the historic Belgrade Fortress, offering panoramic views of the confluence of the Danube and Sava rivers. Explore the lively Knez Mihailova Street, lined with shops, cafes, and historic buildings. Don't miss the bohemian quarter of Skadarlija, where you can enjoy traditional Serbian cuisine and live music.

Sarajevo: The Heart of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Next, head to Sarajevo, a city known for its rich history and multicultural heritage. The drive from Belgrade to Sarajevo takes you through picturesque landscapes and quaint villages. In Sarajevo, visit the historic Baščaršija bazaar, where you can wander through narrow streets filled with shops selling traditional crafts and souvenirs. The Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque and the Latin Bridge, site of the assassination that sparked World War I, are must-see landmarks. Experience the city's unique blend of East and West, reflected in its architecture and cuisine. Try local dishes such as cevapi and burek, and enjoy a traditional Bosnian coffee.

Montenegro: The Jewel of the Adriatic

From Sarajevo, travel to Montenegro, a country renowned for its stunning Adriatic coastline and rugged mountains. Start your exploration in Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and scenic bay. Climb the ancient city walls for panoramic views of the bay and surrounding mountains. Continue to Budva, famous for its beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife. The historic old town, with its narrow streets and Venetian-style buildings, is a delight to explore. Don't miss the opportunity to visit the Lovćen National Park, where you can hike to the mausoleum of Montenegro's beloved hero, Njegoš, and enjoy spectacular views.

Albania: The Land of Eagles

Next, venture into Albania, a country with a rich history and diverse landscapes. Start in Tirana, the capital city, where you can explore Skanderbeg Square, the heart of the city, and visit the National History Museum to learn about Albania's past. The colorful buildings and vibrant street art add a unique charm to the city. From Tirana, travel to Berat, known as the "City of a Thousand Windows" for its distinctive Ottoman-era architecture. The Berat Castle, perched on a hilltop, offers stunning views of the surrounding area. Enjoy Albanian hospitality and traditional dishes such as byrek and tave kosi.

North Macedonia: A Land of Contrasts

Continue your journey to North Macedonia, where ancient history and modern culture coexist harmoniously. In Skopje, the capital city, visit the impressive Alexander the Great statue and the Old Bazaar, one of the largest and most well-preserved in the Balkans. The Stone Bridge, a symbol of the city, connects the old and new parts of Skopje. Travel to Ohrid, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its beautiful lake and historic churches. The Church of St. John at Kaneo, perched on a cliff overlooking Lake Ohrid, is particularly picturesque. Enjoy local Macedonian cuisine, including dishes like tavče gravče and ajvar.

The Return Journey

As your journey through the Balkans comes to an end, reflect on the diverse cultures, histories, and landscapes you’ve experienced. Each destination offers its own unique charm, making the Balkans a region full of surprises and unforgettable moments.

Conclusion

Discovering the Balkans provides Bangladeshi travelers with an enriching adventure through Southeast Europe. From the vibrant streets of Belgrade to the serene beauty of Lake Ohrid, this journey showcases the region's rich heritage and stunning landscapes.

Plan Your Balkan Adventure with Roomchai Limited

Roomchai Limited specializes in crafting personalized travel packages for Bangladeshi travelers. With expert guidance, seamless logistics, and exceptional service, Roomchai Limited ensures a smooth and enjoyable journey through the Balkans. Let Roomchai Limited handle the details while you explore the wonders of Southeast Europe, creating unforgettable memories along the way.

[jasonxu0929]

When you stand at the Kalemegdan Citadel and look down, it’s a wonderful view of the confluence of the Sava River and the Danube River, and the former is light green and the latter muddy color in a sharp contrast, but they remain its color for a quite distance in the joint tour further downstream!

[cmp-geo-world]

Belgrade

Belgrade, the capital and largest city of Serbia, is a vibrant and historically rich metropolis located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. Known for its dynamic blend of culture, history, and modernity, Belgrade is a hub for politics, education, commerce, and entertainment. Here’s an in-depth look at Belgrade: Geography and Urban LayoutLocation: Belgrade is situated in the…

[wikiuntamed]

Five steps of Wikipedia for Sunday, 21st April 2024

Welcome, selamat datang, tervetuloa, आपका स्वागत है (āpakā svāgata hai) 🤗 Five steps of Wikipedia from "Jelena Katić" to "1563 London plague". 🪜👣

Start page 👣🏁: Jelena Katić "Jelena Katić (Serbian Cyrillic: Јелена Катић; born 15 November 1992), formerly known as Jelena Jović, is a politician in Serbia. She has served in the National Assembly of Serbia since 6 October 2021 as a member of the Serbian Progressive Party (Srpska napredna stranka, SNS)...."

Step 1️⃣ 👣: Ivan Tasovac "Ivan Tasovac (Serbian Cyrillic: Иван Тасовац; 21 June 1966 – 29 September 2021) was a Serbian pianist and manager. He served as the director of Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra from 2001 to 2013. He also served as the Minister of Culture and Information in the Government of Serbia from 2013 to 2016..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0?

Step 2️⃣ 👣: Belgrade "Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. The population of the Belgrade metropolitan area is 1,681,405 according to the 2022 census. It is one of the major..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0? by Bestalex

Step 3️⃣ 👣: 1972 Yugoslav smallpox outbreak "The 1972 Yugoslav smallpox outbreak was the largest outbreak of smallpox in Europe after the Second World War. It was centered in SAP Kosovo, a province of Serbia within Yugoslavia, and the capital city of Belgrade. A Kosovar Albanian Muslim pilgrim had contracted the smallpox virus in the Middle..."

Image by

Photo Credit:

Content Providers(s): CDC/Dr. William Foege

Step 4️⃣ 👣: 1557 influenza pandemic "In 1557, a pandemic strain of influenza emerged in Asia, then spread to Africa, Europe, and eventually the Americas. This flu was highly infectious and presented with intense, occasionally lethal symptoms. Medical historians like Thomas Short, Lazare Rivière and Charles Creighton gathered..."

Image by Sebastian Münster

Step 5️⃣ 👣: 1563 London plague "In 1563, London experienced its worst episode of plague during the sixteenth century. At least 20,136 people in London and surrounding parishes were recorded to have died of plague during the outbreak. Around 24% of London's population ultimately perished, but the plague affected London's unsanitary..."

Image by Mike Calder, image of Civitas Londinium, Agas' Map of London, c. 1570-1605

[juliehowlin]

Belgrade

Belgrade is located at the confluence of the rivers, the Danube and the Sava. This is a pretty strategic location which is probably why it has been fought over in 115 wars and razed to the ground and rebuilt 44 times.

10 things you might not know about Belgrade:

[emaadsidiki]

Kalemegdan 🏰

[sweetswannylawson]

Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.

Belgrade, Serbia 🇷🇸

[stocklivemarket]

Kalemegdan, which is the most touristic area of the city, is a place that you can easily reach thanks to its close location to the city center. The Belgrade Fortress, one of the most important symbols of the city, at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, is located in this square, where there is also Kalemegdan Park, the largest park of the city. This park, which is built on a wide plateau surrounding the castle, which was used as a military base during the war, was also used to keep the enemy under observation during the same periods. The history of Kalemegdan coincides with the history of Belgrade and is the oldest part of the city in the country. Employment of the people has been provided within the walls of Kalemegdan until quite recently. Kalemegdan Kalemegdan, which comes from the "Kale Meydan", whose name is Turkish, joined the Ottoman lands by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1571 and Belgrade became an Ottoman. Located in the Old City, the castle served as a military base during the war. In the park, which is the greenest area of the city, there are tracks for walking and jogging, historical gates and sculptures. In addition, a very beautiful view of the new city can be seen from the castle. Kalemegdan, which is also home to Kalemegdan Park, the largest park in the city, also has the Military Museum, Art Center, City Institute, Zoo, and many restaurants. It also houses many sculptures such as the monument of gratitude to France, the fisherman's fountain, the dancers before and after the war. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push(); You can go up to the castle and watch the view of Belgrade, take a nice walk in the park around it and buy souvenirs from here. During your visit to the park, you will see the statues of many famous names. In addition, there are military museums, art center, city institute, zoo, playground, sports field and restaurants in the park. Sculptures and monuments such as the turnkey monument, the monument of gratitude to France, the fisherman's fountain, the dancers before and after the war must be seen inside the castle. In addition, the magnificent view of New Belgrade can be watched from the castle. Apart from these, the Roman Well, about which scary stories are told, is among the places of interest in the castle. Visiting Hours: Monday-Sunday 11.00-19.00 Address: Kalemegdan, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Entrance Fee: Free (Separate tickets are required for the museums inside.) Website: http://www.beogradskatvrdjava.co.rs/ There are many places to visit in Kalemegdan. Different ticketing is made for each. The entrance fee varies depending on whether you buy the ticket in advance or not.

[universe-on-her-shoulders]

can you do two rivers meeting perhaps a public place with kids around and they get a flirty and suggest going off somewhere else or river meeting kid mels?

"Oh, for Rassilon's sake," River muttered, leaning against a lamppost and looking across Republic Square at the horribly familiar figure approaching from the other side. "Really?"

She stood and waited impatiently, resisting the urge to tap her foot or check her vortex manipulator, and a moment later found herself face to face with a much nattier-dressed version of herself, who was smirking enormously from ear to ear.

"Oh, this is excellent," Other-Her said with relish. "Have we done this on purpose?"

"Done what?" River asked; she was here to do a job, not to hang around socialising with anyone - especially not another version of herself. "I try to avoid crossing my own timeline. The husband is enough of a chrono-spatial problem, as am I, and I can't be dealing with factoring in different versions of me in the same place. Trying to remember where I've been and when it hard enough; how does this little jaunt go in the diary? Do I put it in? Do you? Do we leave it out? I am actually here to achieve something, you know."

"Yes, I know," Other-Her rolled her eyes. "I was you. Don't worry, the Ambassador is going to leave his residence in approximately..." she checked her watch. An actual, honest-to-god analogue watch. Retro. "Forty-seven minutes, and you'll be able to get the sapphire from him."

"Oh, good," River raised her eyebrows, equal parts irked and reassured. "Thanks for the spoiler."

"Think of it as encouragement. Gentle encouragement. From afar, and with the knowledge it'll all go to plan. Doesn't it make you feel better knowing that it's all going to go according to plan? And that you can pull this off?"

"I can generally pull things off," River noted with a flash of irritation; she didn't need a cheerleader. "That's sort of what I - we - whatever, do."

"Well, did we do this on purpose?"

"Do what?"

"Oh, come on. Belgrade. Two of us."

River shook her head, not understanding, and the Other-Her rolled her eyes and extracted a guidebook from a pocket in her jacket. Nice to know that she'd one day get to enjoy the city without it being imbued with danger, she supposed.

"'Belgrade'," Other-Her read aloud, in a passable imitation of one of their professors. "'Is situated at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers.'"

River only shook her head, not getting it, and Other-Her winked at her.

"Two rivers... two Rivers..."